On the 6th Day of Christmas: On the Rocks Pendants

I wanted to create something trendy for today's project, since many of us have trendsetters on our gift lists.  After a healthy dose of Etsy and Pinterest trend watching I was ready to give this style my spin with geometric shapes, a limited color palette, metallic touches and a fashion forward design.

Supplies
18" gunmetal chain with clasp
6" 22 guage steel wire
2 12mm polymer clay disks
4 10mm faceted black onyx
7 4mm faceted brass beads

1. Cut the chain in half with heavy-duty wire cutters.
2. Create a loop at one end of the wire, open it and slide the chain onto the loop.  Close the loop and wrap it several times to create a messy wrapped looped.

3. String the beads in the following pattern with a faceted brass bead between each: 1 stone bead, 2 disk beads, 3 stone beads, end with a brass bead.  Create a wrapped loop, repeating step 2, adding the chain before you finish the wrap. 

These were so easy to whip up I thought I would try it in a few different variations.  This one uses brass disks with the faceted brass beads and a polymer clay disk bead.  I could see this one going to someone who is more of a minimalist. If you'd like a shorter necklace, cut off an inch or two of chain from both sides. 

And feeling very challenged to create something manly, I used the same stones and paired them up a faceted ceramic bead from Diane Hawkey.  I opted for no metal for this design, but African brass spacers that are simple in style would work on a necklace for guys. 

 

Now we could have added the leather cord to both sides of the pendant, guys like leather necklaces.  But Jess came up with a handcrafted chain from steel wire that we both loved!

He cut 1 1/2" pieces of 19 gauge steel wire and created a simple loop at both ends.  For a few of the links he used 2 1/2" pieces of wire for some interest.   You'll need to wax a steel chain with Renaissance Wax to protect it from rusting.

Resources: Brass beads and disks, gunmetal chain: Rings & Things.  Steel wire: Ace Hardware. Polymer Clay Disks: Humblebeads.  Ceramic Bead: Diane Hawkey. Faceted Stones: A local bead store find.  

December 2012 Monthly Challenge Palette

Can you believe it's December already? It seems like I say that every December, but it's no less true. I feel like I'm constantly baffled that time has gone by!

This month, our ABS Challenge piece is this gorgeous work by Erte. When I first saw it, I was mostly fixated on that bright blue of the sky, and the lovely red of the dress - how can you not be? They are so eye-catching that I couldn't see anything else; I thought that was it for the colors.

But not so! A closer look reveals subtle shades of gray and browns, a creamy beige for the skin, even some lavender eye shadow on the girl's eyelids. With touches of pure white and black, this makes for a very striking color palette for this month.

Personally, I love that it's more "winter" than a specific holiday. Even more, I love that it's not a traditional winter color scheme, but with the right design accents it can be.

It's also pretty versatile. If you're looking for a more traditional holiday color scheme, go for the first four swatches. If you're like a more traditional winter color scheme, use the last three. Or, if you're feeling up to the Erte challenge, use them all!

What colors grab you? Which do you plan on using in your challenge pieces?

P.S. This month marks my one year anniversary contributing to ABS! Thanks for having me here this past year - it was awesome, and I look forward to sharing more palettes with you in 2013!

On the 5th Day of Christmas: How to make jewelry clusters

This month, ABS contributors are sharing tutorials for fun beaded projects. The first thing that jumped to mind was my tutorial on how to make jewelry clusters! They are one of my very favorite things to do, and something I employed regularly when I had my jewelry shop. Since this is super popular on my blog, I thought ABS readers would get a kick out of seeing it here, too.

Enjoy!

NOTES:

* I like tight clusters, ones that don't move, so I tend to wiggle the top rondelle down a little and hold it in place with my pliers as I make a closed loop. As I wrap the loop closed, those wraps hold the cluster in place.

* If I'm making cluster earrings, I do each step for both sides before moving on to the next to make sure they are even.

* I like 4mm rondelles the best. 3mm is a little small, so you might need more trios to make this look nice and full (and not droopy). 5mm rondelles may need only 4 trios instead of 5 - it depends, so have extra supplies on hand as you work.

* I like mixing in other shapes, too, like tiny brios, wheels, rounds, and buttons - it gives the cluster a nifty and different look.

* I like 26ga headpins for rondelles because some just wouldn't take 24ga. Rather than have a ton of each size headpin on hand (since I made my own), or manually drilling out each hole (not fun), I went with the smaller size. Because I wrap them tight, they remain secure, and no stress occurs on the loops from constant movement. If the rondelles you're working with will fit 24ga, and you'd prefer that size, go for it.

* Similarly, if you prefer using a thicker gauge for the headpin, like 22ga to 18ga, those work just fine, too. The only change you might have to do is make the third loop a little wider to accommodate the bigger gauge (this depends on how small you make your loops in the first place).

On the 4th Day of Christmas: Spice of Life Bracelet

Spice of Life Bracelet

Color is the spice of life! Use a rainbow of colorful Keith O'Connor ceramic beads to create an exciting bracelet full of fun.

Spice of Life Bracelet

Erin Siegel

 

Materials:

9 ceramic 12mm rounds (2 orange, 2 turquoise, 2 green, 2 purple and 1 pink)

9 Thai silver 7x10mm spiral charms

1 silver Greek ceramic 14mm flat chip bead

5 yards of charcoal grey 4ply Irish waxed linen cord

Tools:

Scissors

Ruler

Instructions:

1: Cut the cord in half. Find the center of the 2 pieces of linen cord and tie the 2 pieces together at the center point with a square knot. Continue tying square knots, one right after the other, until you have a knotted section 1½” long. Fold the knotted section in half and make an over hand knot at the base of the knotted section, creating a loop. You will now have 4 cords after the knot. Trim the ends of the cord even.

2: String the following, onto all four cords, tying an overhand knot after each: 1 green ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 turquoise ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 pink ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 purple ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 orange ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 green ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 turquoise ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 orange ceramic round, 1 spiral charm, 1 purple ceramic round, 1 spiral charm.

3: Separate the cords in half and tie 3 square knots in a row. Bring the cords back together and string the Greek ceramic flat chip bead onto all four cords. Tie an overhand knot with all four cords together after the flat chip bead. Trim ends to ¼” and fray ends.

Resources:

Keith O'Connor ceramic rounds: The Beadin’Path. Thai silver spiral charms: Artbeads.com. Waxed linen cord: Ornamentea. Greek ceramic flat chip bead: Fire and Fibers.

On the 3rd Day of Christmas: Whoville Shooting Stars

Jennifer Heynen of Jangles makes the brightest and most adorable ceramic buttons and beads. I find her energy and enthusiasm contagious. Every year I can't help but buy something from her cheery booth at the Bead & Button show. While she sells the beads separately, I am always sucked in by kits and groupings. She sells something she calls Inspiration Kits. I think I may have depleted her supply at the show ;-) If you have never visited Jennifer's world, I encourage you to check her out.

{Get your stars at Jangles.net}

I came across one such kit that had several of her ceramic stars and some funky sputnik glass beads. Miss Jennifer is fond of bright colors: lime, turquoise, orange, red, really any color in the crayon box! Her work has a playful quality and a funkiness that I love, much like my favorite author Dr. Seuss.


We have been watching the Grinch Who Stole Christmas which is one of my favorite animated holiday shows. These stars looked like they would be right at home shooting across the night sky in Seuss' world. You can make them, too, in 5 easy steps! (I used 20 gauge craft wire in fun colors but you could use whatever you have on hand.)

I made these Whoville Shooting Stars to give poor ol' Max the beagle turned reindeer something to guide his way. But they would look equally as cute on your tree or adorning a package, don't you think?

 What is your favorite holiday cartoon?

Show Me Sunday

Snow on Branches Enamel Pendant by BeadSwedeSupplies 

Show Me Winter Holiday Beads! 

 

Tis the season for winter holiday beads! Let's see some of those great beads, charms, and components that celebrate the winter season! Holiday specific beads, pine trees, snowflakes... let's celebrate all of the things that remind of us December. Post your links in the comments here and I will select some of the links you leave on this post to highlight in another Show Me Sunday post. 

 

Here is what some of our beady friends have to show off this week: 

A Bead A Day
It's giveaway time on A Bead A Day! Comment by Dec. 11 for a chance to win or come back for next week's giveaway.

About.com Jewelry Making
December's jewelry designer interview focuses on blogger, book author, and jewelry designer Lisa Crone. 

Art Bead Scene
An icy Erte illlustration provides the wintery inspiration for this month's Art Bead Scene challenge 

Beading Arts
Cyndi is featuring quick and easy jewelry projects all month long for your holiday gift-giving, including this special bracelet...sooo pretty and sooo fast! 

Resin Crafts!
This week Carmi showcases a vintage children's reader in a resin filled pendant. 

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean has the most fabulous news from Lark publishing--a big gorgeous sale is going on right now, before the holidays! It is a bountiful cornucopia of beautiful books!

Studio Saturday with Creative Impressions In Clay

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This weeks winner is Shaiha, Congratulations! You have won a digital copy of Erin's Bohemian Knotted Earrings TUTORIAL. The PDF file will be sent to the winner via email once I receive the winner's email address.

Send Erin an e-mail with your email address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of Tari Sasser at 

Creative Impressions In Clay.

I didn't have time to participate in the ornament blog hop.
So, I thought I would make one for Studio Saturday.

Lets start with cutting the top and bottom off of 2 Sprite cans.
Cut the can in half lengthwise. Cut those two in half, you should have 4 strips. Cut the 4 strips in half.
8 strips total from one can, 16 from 2 cans.

I drew out a shape on a piece of 1/4" luan plywood. My darling husband cut it out for me on the bandsaw. Put a wash of green on the tree and brown on the trunk.


You need a wicked sharp pair of scissors. Cut your strips of the aluminum can into scallops.


Start from the bottom and layer (like shingles on a roof) your scalloped strips using a glue gun or in my case, since I couldn't find the glue gun, double backed carpet tape. Bend over the edges to the backside. This may take a bit of coercing on the sides of the tree so the strips on the back are straight.
Keep layering and overlapping your strips till you reach the top.


Fully layered tree. I then applied Modge Podge and sprinkled fine pearlescent glitter on the tree so it looks frosted. You may choose not to do this step.


I used Vintaj 25mm Altered Blanks, metal stamps and acrylic paint for the topper. A wooden dapping block was used to round the disk. The tree is decorated with my charms and felt balls from Ornamentea. I put a jump ring through the disk, added 10" of ribbon, a glass donut and a decorative copper ornament hook. Voila!

My question today is:
What Makes you happy?

I love to create! It keeps me happy. I haven't had much time in my studio lately but take the time when you can. My job lets me create displays for art. Plus I get to be around art everyday. Happy, Happy!

Leave a comment answering the question and you could win a snowflake button. 

Holiday Collection

Feeling Sassy as usual!

Tari Sasser

Creative Impressions In Clay